Kangaroo Rats do not need to drink water to survive.
How do they obtain water by eating the dry seeds that they eat?
2007-03-04 12:55:38 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
How do they produce water metabotically?
2007-03-04 13:11:20 · update #1
How do they produce water metabotically?
2007-03-04 13:11:36 · update #2
The burning (even metabolic burning) of carbohydrates produces carbon dioxide and water. Carbohydrates are made of carbon and hydrogen. Metabolism when "burned," oxygen from the air combines with the carbon to produce carbon dioxide, and it combines with the hydrogen to make water. When you light a fire, the water produced is in vapor form.
Most animals excrete both of these through the lungs when they breathe.
Every living creature produces water this way, but the amount is very small. In most animals, so much water is expelled in the urine, sweat, and the breath that the water created by metabolism doesn't amount to much.
Kangaroo rats do not sweat or pant to cool themselves, as this would use up water. During the heat of the day they stay in their underground burrows to stay cool. Further, their respiratory passages are so lined with little hairs that any moisture in the breath is trapped and returned to the body. Besides this, the kidneys are extremely efficient and produce only a very small amount of very concentrated urine.
Due to these efficiency measures, kangaroo rats are able to conserve their metabolically produced water and do not need to drink water or eat juicy food.
I have read that if they are fed a high-protein diet, they will not get enough carbohydrates to produce enough water to live on, and they will need to drink. Protein metabolism doesn't produce much if any water.
I had a pet kangaroo rat once. Not only would it not drink, it would not eat fruit or vegetables of any kind, but only seeds and grains.
It also lowered its body temperature when it slept, so that it would have to shiver for a few minutes to warm up if I woke it up in the daytime. Maybe this adaptation also helps them to conserve water.
2007-03-04 17:37:00 · answer #1 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
How do Kangaroo Rats survive without water?
Kangaroo Rats do not need to drink water to survive.
How do they obtain water by eating the dry seeds that they eat?
2015-08-12 18:26:49 · answer #2 · answered by Lavelle 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Where Do Kangaroo Rats Live
2016-12-24 17:47:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What Do Kangaroo Rats Eat
2016-10-05 07:51:21 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kangaroo rats do not need to drink, this is because they make metabolic water and are able to use that. I believe they only get a small percentage of water from what they eat, the rest of the water is taken in rectally and is from metabolic water they produce.
2007-03-04 13:01:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bacteria and germs are microscopic, and living organism's. They can survive without water. Via Counter tops, Door handles, toys, and many other dry surfaces.
2016-03-22 17:30:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
--->> Tips---> https://trimurl.im/g62/how-do-kangaroo-rats-survive-without-water
2015-08-04 07:46:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They may get water from the foods they eat.
2007-03-04 13:05:33 · answer #8 · answered by cajunrescuemedic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋